Sorry to hear that Jesse. May she have a peaceful time of it.

In other news, I finally got Creative Suite 4 to install on my new laptop after trying since I got home tonight (CS 3 didn't make the transition from my old laptop intact, and the fresh install wouldn't work for InDesign even with a new serial no.) I'm not sure if I want to try a CS 5 install next or just use my Creative Cloud account from work to add compatible current versions, but that's a decision for tomorrow.

I celebrated finally being able to open files with my first-ever birch beer, which I think I prefer to root beer and other sarsaparilla-based drinks I've tried.

I'm sorry, Jesse. I read so many hopeful articles about possible advancements in the disease, but that is not very helpful for the people who have already suffered its ravages.

Mmm, birch beer.

Serious question, what do people think about the #leavefacebook movement? I am torn. On the one hand they are evil scum, yet they connect me with people I would not connect with easily otherwise. Buffistas I have here, but family that I almost never see F2F and other friends. Ugh. It is a quandary, and frankly I don't like that I seem to have such feeling about leaving, when they don't deserve my support.

I feel the same way, Laura. I'm not sure what to do.

Jesse, I'm sorry about your grandmother. I hope it's an easy passing for her, and you and your mom.

Birch beer is the BEST.

I've never tried birch beer. Is it a regional thing?

I think it's mostly northeastern? It's like root beer, but stronger and less sweet.

So my grandmother's just gone into hospice, and I just hope she dies. Which sounds so terrible to say

That's doesn't seem like a terrible thing to say. A lingering, drawn-out death is not something I'd wish on anyone.

Alex Petri will help you with the Facecbook issue: [link]

A lingering, drawn-out death is not something I'd wish on anyone.

True, true.

I've never tried birch beer. Is it a regional thing?

It's not very different from Sarsaparilla?

Alex Petri will help you with the Facecbook issue: [link]

Ha, thanks Jesse. I hadn't read that one yet. I particularly liked,

"Some days, without warning, I will surprise you with a painful reminder of a lost loved one that you weren't prepared for at all."

I am however still torn.

I've had artisanal birch beer at a Ren Faire. The concession stand were specialists and had birch beer, sassafras, sarsparilla, and blends and offered a tasting flight. I believe the birch beer was my favorite, but now I'm not sure - it was October before last and while I remember the experience pretty well, remembering which flavor was which ingredient is beyond me.

Alex Petri will help you with the Facecbook issue

Whew!

I have decided to be unconcerned about Facebook. I'm full of fatalistic despair about privacy anyway, and fed up with being told it's my responsibility as a consumer to direct the invisible hand of the market instead of regulatory mechanisms just making rules. And I'm not even the consumer in this case, I'm a cow on the feedlot. I could go and forage for myself but I like my herd. As it were.